Everyday practice with hearing impairment

The interesting combination of Christmas party and science of the Görlitz District Medical Association at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences on 9.12.2016 was used by Prof. Dr. Susanne Römer (Curative Education/Inclusion Studies) and Ms. Nicole Friedrich (sign language lecturer) to draw the attention of visitors from the region to how hearing impairment can affect everyday clinical and practical life.

A good 70 visitors took part in the experiment, using hearing protection and earplugs to get an idea of what it is like when you can no longer understand everything. Ms. Friedrich, who has a hearing impairment bordering on deafness herself, described problems from her own experience: there is a lack of patient information in simple language, sufficiently accessible sign language interpreters in the region, awareness-raising through education among hospital and practice staff as well as quick and clear information and contacts for staff and doctors.

Theidea of cooperating with the curative education/inclusion studies course to develop specific services in joint projects arosespontaneously. Ms. Friedrich agreed to accompany these projects. Hearing-impaired people themselves could draw attention to their individual needs in acute cases by carrying a patient card. A draft for this from Ms. Friedrich can be developed further. Many questions from the doctors showed a great interest in understanding sign language, lip-reading and the difficulties in using and understanding texts with hearing impairment.

Adequate knowledge of how to deal with people with hearing impairments is particularly necessary in legal constellations, e.g. when providing information before operations. However, the participants also recognized the need to develop conditions that promote inclusion, to identify and remove barriers and to offer awareness training as part of staff training and further education for their own facilities. Due to demographic change, further questions arose regarding successful communication for patients with age-related hearing loss. The visitors were very interested in the topics discussed and would have liked to stay longer.

The combination of Christmas party and science was a success!